Holly Irene Robinson (born 10 December 1994) is a New Zealand para-athlete, primarily competing in the javelin throw. She represented New Zealand at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics, winning silver in 2016 and gold in 2020. At the 2016 Games, she was New Zealand's flagbearer for the opening ceremony.
Early life Robinson was born in Hokitika, on the South Island's West Coast, and is of Ngāi Tahu descent. She has a twin brother, Jonathon, and her father Steve represented the West Coast in Heartland Championship rugby. Robinson has a congenital limb reduction with her left arm ending below the elbow. She attended Westland High School and later Taieri College after moving to Dunedin.
Sporting career Robinson started competing in para-athletics at age 12. She is classified F46 for field events and T47 for track events and long jump. Robinson's first major international competition was the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, achieving a fifth-place ranking in the women's javelin throw F46 and a seventh-place ranking in the women's shot put F42–44/46. She was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, the sole female athletics competitor selected. She finished seventh in the women's javelin F46, with a 32.58 m throw. Robinson won her first international competition medal at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships, earning a silver medal with a 34.37 m throw.
At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, Robinson earned a bronze medal with a 38.18 m throw. At the 2016 Australian Athletics Championships she set a New Zealand national record with a throw of 40.81 m, ranking her number one in the world for the javelin F46 during the Paralympic qualifying period and earning her a slot at the 2016 Paralympics Games. She was officially confirmed to represent New Zealand at the Paralympics on 23 May 2016.
At the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Robinson won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw F46, with a personal best throw of 41.22 m. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Robinson won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw with a personal best throw of 43.32m.
In September 2021 Robinson donated a US$50,000 prize to Ronald McDonald House South Island.
In the 2022 Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours, Robinson was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to athletics.
Statistics Personal bests Event Distance Date Location Notes Javelin (F46) 45.73 m 6 April 2019 Sydney, Australia Shot put (F46) 10.84 m 15 April 2014 Beijing, China Discus (F46) 34.62 m 20 February 2016 Dunedin, New Zealand
Javelin throw progression
Year Performance Competition Location Date Worldranking 2011 30.61 m Melbourne, Australia 16 April 7 2012 32.58 m Summer Paralympics London, United Kingdom 1 September 7 2013 34.37 m IPC Athletics World Championships Lyon, France 22 July 3 2014 35.58 m Beijing, China 16 April 2 2015 38.18 m IPC Athletics World Championships Doha, Qatar 31 October 4 2016 41.22 m Summer Paralympics Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 13 September 2 2017 42.68 m Otago Championships Dunedin, New Zealand 26 February 2018 43.32 mCommonwealth GamesGold Coast, Australia8 April2019 45.73 mAustralian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia6 April2020 40.64 mDunedin, New Zealand25 January2021 44.26 mNew Zealand ChampionshipsHastings, New Zealand27 March
References
External links Holly Robinson at Athletics New Zealand (archive)
Meet Our Paralympians: Holly Robinson – Attitude Live video profile